Performance Alliance Blog

Doing What's Right

Gary Greenfield — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:46:00 GMT

I'm not talking about a golden rule like principal, here. Hell, I'm not good enough to be so presumptuous. There's no doubt I have not always done right even if that was my intent. I would imagine the same is true for you.

But, that doesn't mean we shouldn't continue the search for doing the right thing. The problem is our search may take us in the wrong direction. You see doing the right thing isn't about actions. It's about thoughts.

When you think right, you do right. How you think is how you do. It's true for all of us. If you think dark thoughts, you will do dark things. If you think you can fool someone, you will and it will be you. Thinking is the touchstone for all that comes after it. Whatever it is you want think it first.

You want peace of mind...think peaceful thoughts
You want material things...think how you will feel when you have them
You want a family...think what you will bring to that family
You want a better job...think what you excel at

Doing what's right is a thought before it is a reality.

Don't Take Offense

Gary Greenfield — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:17:00 GMT

They're all over out there! Those idiots who seem to live for the thrill of annoying others. Take driving a car for example. Are there some dumb people out there sitting behind the wheel of a car, or what? Idiots doesn't even come close to defining them and their actions. Geez! What's a person to do?

Well, don't take offense if you're one of those people who find the world is full of those who annoy you. They are not worth it and, oh, by the way, they are not the problem. You are! Like I said, don't take offense. If you do, your anger will force you to miss my point and it's a good one. So chill a little.

The easiest thing to do when confronted with annoying people is to get angry at them. The difficulty is your anger won't solve the problem and probably compounds it. LIfe is too short to bring such stress onto yourself and others.

Think about it. Are you such a perfect person that you don't do anything that's annoying to others? I bet not!

When confronted with annoying situations discipline your approach into a totally different direction than anger. Rather than counting to the proverbial 10, think about your own shortcomings. Forcing yourself to think about your own faults mitigates the impact of the faults of others. After all, how can you be mad at someone else when you realize your faults can make you do stupid things too?

Don't take offense, if I presume you're flawed...it goes with being a human being.

Outside In

Gary Greenfield — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:27:00 GMT

Do you know what an oxymoron is? It's such a funny sounding word and, yet, it is a word the meaning of which can have a powerful impact. That being the case let's define the word's meaning so we can proceed with clarity. Oxymoron as defined in the Pocket Oxford English Dictionary: "a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear together."

Thus, my point. The title of this post is a good example of an oxymoron. How can outside be in or in be outside? Yup...we have two apparently contradictory terms appearing together. Now, that clarified, so what?

Well, here's what. If you only think outside the box, you'll never understand that which is in the box. To understand what's in the box you have to truly get inside it. If you haven't been inside the box, you have no basis of understanding for being able to think outside of it.

A funny thing happened on your way to success. You lost sight of you while searching for it. You can't have it (success) until you have a clear understanding of what is internally motivating you toward it.

Maybe an expert's view will help put things into succinct perspective. The Swiss psychologist and psychiatrist Carl Jung was one of the major forces responsible for bringing psychological (having to do with the mind and its processes) thought and its theories into the twentieth century.

On the point of the subject of this post he said: "Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."

Yes, dream big dreams on the outside but look inward to awaken them into reality.

Making Alterations

Gary Greenfield — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:19:00 GMT

No...I'm not talking about doing some sewing, here, to tailor some clothing. On the other hand, being able to tailor your clothing would be a good skill to have...and, a money saver, too! Have you checked out the price for altering clothing lately? Whew! I don't know where all the profits go but I hope most of them go to the skilled person making the alterations.

Anyway, that's not the focus of this post. The real focus is on you and your life. The fact is, just as in tailoring clothing to make it fit better, you have to tailor your life to make it fit better. In other words, from time to time you must make alterations in the tapestry of your life, if you are going to get where you ultimately want to go. It's a highly refined skill just as in tailoring clothing.

When you're making alterations to your life, the skill to do it is driven by one, very important thing...your mind. Your ability to make alterations to your life is in direct proportion to the alterations you make in your thinking. If you don't rip the seam out of your current thinking and stitch it up into a new pattern of thought your life will not fit your ultimate desires. The closet of your life will be filled with the thread-bare, ill fitting clothing of the past that is totally out of fashion for the future.

You make your future fit your goals by making alterations from your past.

Wanting It All

Gary Greenfield — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:40:00 GMT

The idea applies to everybody but the younger people seem to be particularly challenged. Oooh. That got your attention!

Well, it's true! The youngest generation or two is at a disadvantage because too many haven't truly experienced disadvantage. The culture has become one of instant gratification. So much money has been afloat for so many people that it was no object. Whatever was wanted was provided...quickly! No lay-away plan...no saving until we can afford to pay cash...no delay...NOW!

And, then, of course, there is the instant gratification for information and "social connection" that access to the internet brings. Don't have to work on building friendships just click a button on the computer and you have a new "friend."   Go to Wikipedia and what can't you find in terms of information...correct or incorrect.

Anyway, enough of my bellowing about the nature of our current culture. To the point...Suffice it to say I believe there is something inherently dangerous about wanting it all and getting it instantly. It sets people up for totally unrealistic expectations. Forever, if you wanted it all, you had to earn it with passion, dedication, and effort over some reasonable period of time. Then, when you got it all there was a very reasonable chance you got what you wanted exactly when you deserved it. Nice balance, if you ask me.

And, then there's the thought expressed by Oscar Wilde: "If you don't get everything you want, think of the things you don't get that you don't want."

All I want is for people to expect they have to truly earn what they get!

Chains or Chance

Gary Greenfield — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:38:00 GMT

I hope you like that title as much as I do! Hopefully, it gets you thinking as much as it stimulates me to write something relevant about it. Not relevant to me as much as truly relevant to you. I want you to be moved to some type of positive action as a result of what you read.

If you're moved to action, you are moving toward change. If you're moving toward change you have the chance to break the psychological chains that are tying you down.

Come on! You know what I mean by psychological chains. They're the result of your negative self-talk. They're just as confining as if you were in a dungeon somewhere and chained to the wall. Well you aren't so those chains will be a hell of a lot easier to break than if you were.

As long as you chain yourself down to the negatives in your life, you have little chance of creating a positive outcome. You can't breakout, so to speak, if you can't find the key to unlocking the chains.

Where's the key, you ask? Well, it isn't hidden in some jailers lock box! You always have the key with you but it's in a place too many of us refuse to look. The key to unlocking your chains and giving yourself a chance is between your ears...it's in your mind.

Unlock the power of your mind and you unlock the chains holding you back in your life. Take the chance!

The Height of You

Gary Greenfield — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:54:00 GMT

What are you...4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet, 7 feet, or something in between, above or below those numbers? Who cares! It's not the height of your person that determines the elevation of your success in life. Yes, physical stature can attract or repel other people, if you let it. That's your mind at work rather than your body on display!

Far too many people are hung up on their physical presence. Those people think if they're not an adonis or a beauty queen they're not worthy. I say B.S.! If you are a caring human being, you are worthy, period!

Rather than starting your day looking in the mirror at the mess you see, think about the miracle that is you...mess or not. There's a statistic I read once in that regard. Scientists have estimated the odds of any one of us being born at 2, 240 trillion to one.

Let's put that number into clear perspective. If you wrote it out completely, you would have to include 12 zeros at the end. If that's not impressive enough for you, it's 93 million miles to the sun. If you traveled 2,240 trillion miles to and from the sun, you would make over 12 million round trips. Put in the context of time, that number would represent over 25, 925, 000 days. That's roughly the equivalent of a little over 71 thousand years.

Hello! Get the point. The height of ignorance is for anyone to presume another human being is not worthy of mutual respect.

You're a miracle not a mess. See the miracle and you will become a better picture to everyone...including you! The height of your positivity trumps the height of your person every time!

The Tide Turns

Gary Greenfield — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:22:00 GMT

Conjures an interesting mental picture, doesn't it? The tide turning. In a real and metaphoric sense it can mean so many things. I want to focus on what it means relative to you becoming all you can be.

The short story is this. You cannot turn with every tide of change and be as great as you can be. You will be bashed against the rocks of mediocrity never to rise again. People who do great things make their own tide. They don't surf on the tide others have created.

If you're struggling to get the picture of my meaning, just think about the tide changers of recent history. Bezos of Amazon. Jobs of Apple. Gates of Microsoft. Lady Gaga in the world of music. Rowling in the world of writing novels. Just to name a few. All of these people launched their unique approach to their discipline having learned from others but applying that learning in totally new ways. They turned the tide in their world and ours.

The key difference between those people and people who surf on the tide of others is passion. They have a passion for their purpose and they live their purpose morning, noon and night. They don't change on the next wave of popular fad or trend...they create that popular fad or trend and stick with it while turning the tide of change to their will.

Do you want to surf on the tide of others or create your own wave? One gives you a ride to shore. One continues to roll across the never ending ocean of time.

A Virtue

Gary Greenfield — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:58:00 GMT

It's been said patience is a virtue. I find that hard to believe in this fast paced, instant gratification world we find ourselves in. Why be patient...why wait? Push a button and the internet will make all the world your oyster!

There's a problem in an over emphasis of that instant gratification, though. It fills people with angst and anger. Angst when things don't come back to them in a nanosecond. Anger when they have to wait beyond that nanosecond. Patience...not bloody likely!

But, does this connected world we live in have to take away our sense of human decency and regard for each other? Does this world have to create monsters of angst and anger because they can't have it all...NOW? Whatever happened to the wonder of pacing our lives to the beat of our hearts rather than the whirr of computer processors? How can such a world teach a new generation the virtue of patience as a part of being a well-balanced human being?

Lots of questions. I have no answers, immediately. But, if you're patient, I might come up with one in time.

Stamp of Approval

Gary Greenfield — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:36:00 GMT

You've seen them. Usually, they're red or sometimes bluish in color. It's those stamps of approval from a government agency that confirms something is okay to consume or whatever. Bottom-line is those stamps have a powerful impact on us. We believe them so we choose or buy the item because it has been approved from on high, so to speak.

Well, I'm here to tell you that you, too, are approved from on high. Not in the religious sense but in just as powerful way as that.

You don't need some government agency to give you their stamp of approval! You don't need another human being to validate you by giving you their stamp of approval. In short, you don't need nothin' from nobody!

Love yourself. Respect yourself. Accept yourself. Be yourself. Stamp yourself...APPROVED! YOU are your highest form of approval!

Begin It To Win It

Gary Greenfield — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:09:00 GMT

Lyrical little title to this post, don't you think? Yes, I'm pleased with it. Hopefully, you will be pleased with it when you understand the message behind it. But, to find out you have to begin it to win it...literally.

Think about this. So many times in life we wish for this or dream about that and that is as far as it goes! There's a great old quote directly related to that point. "Wishing consumes as much energy as planning." In short, if you want something you have to act.

Whatever you can imagine you can have if you want it bad enough. There's the problem. Too many people don't truly want it bad enough, regardless of whatever "it" is. If you want something good to happen, you have to feel it bad to get it. By that I mean, your drive is so bad you can't help but get the good!

It is that deep feeling of wanting something so badly that will drive your sense of boldness to go get it. There's a key point. You must feel a bold sense of yourself if you are to begin your journey to getting whatever it is that you want.

In summary, you must be bold to begin so you can ultimately achieve that which you want to win.

True Reflections

Gary Greenfield — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:38:00 GMT

Okay. So, here you are...one of those people that is soooo good at kidding yourself. You have it down to a fine science. You've become so adept at tricking yourself into believing the unbelievable that you can't believe it! (Think about that last sentence...its message will sink in after a moment of reflection.)

Back to the point. Trust me! You can't believe yourself if you are not absolutely true to yourself. There is no tricking a tricker. The trick is to recognize that and do something about it before it's too late for you to recover. Life is too short to be living it in a delusion of your own doing...let alone someone else's. You have to commit yourself to truth in all things at all times.

Maybe some kind of analogy will help you understand my point. What do you see when you look into a mirror? That's right...a reflection of you. And, by the way, it is a true reflection of the external you. Yes, the reflection in the mirror is reversed but other than that it's a perfect picture of you...almost.

Where we get in trouble is when we think we can fool that reflection in the mirror. We begin to believe that our external reflection is the truth even when our internal reflection of thoughts is not in line with that truth.

Here's the truth. Mirrors always give a true reflection of their subject. Whatever you think so shall you reflect to the external world.

Get the picture?

The Key Question

Gary Greenfield — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:52:00 GMT

Here I go again...giving you my opinion on what it takes to become all you can be. Sorry about that...NOT...it's the sole reason for the existence of this blog. My opinion matters because it is expressed in these posts and people get something from my thoughts. So here goes another one!

I'm sure you have a lot of questions about how to achieve whatever it is you want in your life. It's understandable because it can be a very complex topic. But, maybe there's the problem...people make the whole concept of success, self-actualization, etc., too complicated.

It's no more complicated than the attitude you take toward achieving whatever it is that you want. And, the necessary attitude is very well defined in a thought expressed by Ayn Rand. "The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me?'

If you take the attitude that nobody is going to stop you from achieving success, than nobody will be able to. On the other hand, if you ask permission to succeed, somebody will surely tell you no.

So, the key question now that you've read this post is, if nobody else can stop you, are you going to stop you?

I'm Always Astonished

Gary Greenfield — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:20:00 GMT

I invest a great amount of my time in the study of what makes some people consistent achievers and others not. I've been fascinated by the differences between people in that regard since I was a little boy. I can remember sitting in more than one classroom and looking at my classmates and wondering why some got elected to class monitor and others only wished they could. I, for one, always wanted to be elected the class patrolman and be able to wear one of those little white belts that went with the job. I know...I'm dating myself but humor me, won't you?

Anyway, my fascination carried over into my work and here I am decades later writing a blog dedicated to my readers' self-development. But, all my study has proven one overriding truth about the key to self-actualization for anybody. Yes, there are lots of considerations to true self-actualization but none of the others can be a factor if this one truth doesn't exist.

Gandhi summarized it best when he said: "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." Lifelong learning is the single most important key to self-actualization. In other words, when you think you know it all is the moment you begin to know nothing.

I'm always astonished when people don't understand that fact.

The Taste of Success

Gary Greenfield — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:57:00 GMT

How many things have you eaten in your life that basically were tasteless? I mean the item(s) was or were bland beyond description. There was nothing to excite the taste buds. How unrewarding!

Well, think about that as it relates to your success. How unrewarding would it be if you achieved a particular goal and it, in effect, was tasteless? There just wasn't the full flavor of success. Talk about unsatisfying and with all the effort it took, too!

Wouldn't want to go there, would you? Here's the reality about the taste of success. If you haven't tasted defeat, you have no idea what success tastes like. You absolutely cannot experience the full flavor of success until you have failed innumerable times.

And, there's another interesting point. The more times you fail the more savory the taste of success when it comes.

There's only one tasty recipe for success...copious amounts of failure mixed in with a persistent will to ultimately succeed.

Enlightenment

Gary Greenfield — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:13:00 GMT

There's a truism that says, seek to understand before seeking to be understood. An interesting idea but I think life is about going even deeper than that. We all want to feel enlightened...to feel like we're in the know and have a broad level of understanding about life in general.

But, let's consider for a moment what enlightenment really means and then what you can do to achieve whatever level of enlightenment you desire. I guess there's only one way to find some reasonable common ground concerning our mutual understanding of the term. I hope a dictionary definition will work!

A short answer from the Oxford English Dictionary says: "knowledge and understanding." The full definition in the American Heritage Dictionary says: "1. An act or means of enlightening. 2. The state of being enlightened. 3. A philosophical movement of the 18th century concerned with the critical examination of previously accepted doctrines and institutions from the point of view of rationalism." Well, I guess that covers it! Got it?

Now, what do you do with it? Here, I resort to a Zen Buddhist proverb to enlighten you: "Before enlightenment--chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment--chop wood, carry water."

I found that enlightening and I hope you did too.

Delicate Balance

Gary Greenfield — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:43:00 GMT

We can spend our lives in vigorous pursuit of an indescribable variety of things and achievements. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that either. In fact, a life spent doing otherwise would be a life left unfulfilled. But, as we pursue all we can be we should temper everything with a recognition that achieving a fulfilling life is a delicate balance.

Consider these ten points of needed balance:

Your capacity to your ambition
Your plan to your actions
What you have to what you want
What you wish for to what you do about it
The time you spend dreaming to planning
Your belief in yourself to practical limitations
Your spirituality to conscious being
Your family time to your work time
Your learning to applying
The time you spend sleeping to being awake

I could keep writing. But then, it's a delicate balance between making and over-selling my point.

Your Emancipation Proclamation

Gary Greenfield — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:12:00 GMT

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of bloody civil war. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." The proclamation changed the whole flavor of the times and set in motion the inspiration that drove the final results of the Civil War.

Now, this blog is not about giving history lessons but I needed to set the stage for my point. We're early in a brand, new year. A year in which you could declare your own emancipation proclamation. You ask: Emancipation from what? I answer: The mental slavery you have forced on your own mind.

Too many of us spend our lives in a form of slavery and never break the bonds so we can set ourselves free to become all we can be. We labor under the chains of negativity and a "can't do" attitude. It's self-imposed bondage that can be broken by the exercise of our own free will.

Dedicate yourself in this new year to your own emancipation proclamation that declares "I and all persons held as slaves to their own limited thinking are and henceforward shall be free."

The Lesser Of

Gary Greenfield — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:35:00 GMT

For some reason I have always been intrigued by words of wisdom or quotes or whatever you want to call them. I can find inspiration, perspective, direction, humor, a different way of thinking and many other valuable outcomes. I guess that is one of my primary motivators regarding this blog. It's my goal to offer another unique perspective on success, attitude, life in general and knowledge or skills.

So...for this post I'm reminded of a phrase that we have all heard at least hundreds of times. The phrase? "The lesser of two evils."

It seems to be most frequently used when one is left with no really good choice. In other words, either choice is an unfavorable one. Hey! That's realistic and I would bet we have all been there.

But, here's the point. If you're choosing one "evil" over another "evil," what are you left with? It seems you're left with an "evil." Is that really what we want? Do we really want to be so trapped as to have to make such a negative choice?

Here's the solution. Don't allow yourself to become so disengaged in your life that you are left with limited options...the lesser of two evils choices. An engaged life is a life that is actively creating new options all the time. When you are creating the options rather than life just presenting them to you, you create choices that are the best of all worlds.

Use It or Lose It

Gary Greenfield — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:52:00 GMT

What are you waiting for? Don't get upset! It's a legitimate question to those of you who are sitting around waiting for your life to happen. It "ain't" going to happen on its own!

I'm always astonished by those people who think they are owed something in life. They seem to think life should come to them rather than the other way around. I've got news for you!   There is no "other way around." There's only one way around! Or as the cliche goes: Use it or lose it.

Literally, if you don't make the decision to use the days of your life wisely, you will absolutely lose them.  Nothing or nobody can make them return. You lost them...PERIOD!

Now, that said...get over it. Fretting about your mistakes in the past is not going to help you do better in the future. Let it go! Focus on each new day with a sense of purpose as to how you are going to use the day to improve yourself and the world around you. You won't lose a thing and you will gain everything!

Dedicate yourself to end each of your days with a total sense of having used it up. Otherwise, you will lose it.

Failure Is Success

Gary Greenfield — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 15:54:00 GMT

Now, the title to this post sounds like an absolute oxymoron. It doesn't make sense, at least on the surface! One word seems to absolutely cancel out any chance for the other to be a factor. Well, as we sit on the eve of a brand new year and opportunity for an even better life let's consider why failure is success.

Too many people envy other people who they believe to be successes. They think things along the lines of making presumptions about how easy it was for those successful people given their skill set or "born with a silver spoon in their mouth" situations. Wrong again!

There is not one successful person in any or all of the world's various pursuits who has been handed that success on a silver platter. In each and every case, there will be multiple times when those successful people failed and failed miserably...period!!!

What do those people know that those who don't feel they are successful don't know? They know that a fear of failure is an express ticket to just that...failure. Putting that in a more positive frame of reference, they know with each failure they are one step closer to ultimate success.

If you want to succeed in the new year and beyond, fail. The more you fail the more you will succeed.

The Science of Success

Gary Greenfield — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:20:00 GMT

Aaah...that elusive thing we all call success. What is it? Why do some achieve it and others don't? How does one get there? What does one do after getting there?

All good questions, don't you think? The answers of which would give you a great road map to your own success, don't you agree? I hope you answered in an affirmative way for both questions because I'm going to give you my perspective on those answers, regardless.

What is success? For years I searched for understanding and finally found what works for me through a definition created by the late, UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden. His definition of success is: "Success is peace of mind as a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you can be." Powerful!

Then, comes the mystery of why some people achieve success and others don't. For me, it's not a mystery at all. It comes down to a simple difference in mind set. Those who are or will be successful have a deep, emotional connection to whatever it is that they define as success. Those that won't be successful have a wish rather than a burning desire born of deep, emotional connections to their goals in life.

How does one get there? Follow the outline suggested in the following affirmation: You will know how. The you has to do with people needing to truly believe in themselves and their individual miracle. The will is having the motivation to exercise the power of the human will with determination over time. Know has to do with developing the knowledge necessary to succeed in whatever the pursuit. Finally, the how is developing the necessary skills needed to apply the knowledge in an effective way.

Finally, what does one do after getting there? Not too complicated...redefine your answers to the previous three questions and start the process all over. As they say, success is a journey not a destination.

Here's a link to a 10 minute presentation where I explain the science of success as I see it.

Determining Requires Determination

Gary Greenfield — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:47:00 GMT

Some people spend a lifetime trying to figure things out. Not so surprising. Frankly, most of us do because life isn't about becoming all-knowing but about a constant pursuit of trying to know and understand. If you're not trying to figure things out and learn more about the mysteries of this life, how can you ever understand what your destiny can and will be? It is with a deep understanding of the reasons for your destiny that you achieve true peace of mind.

Sounds like a worthy goal...peace of mind born of understanding. But, determining all that you need to understand requires absolute determination. You can't presume understanding will come to you by some wave of a magic wand. It's a journey of constant effort...constant search. It's that journey that gives life the magic...the electricity for you to want to continue pursuing understanding.

Do three things:

Steel your mind for a determined search
Hone your body's physical condition so you can keep up that determined effort
Connect with your spirituality so you can determine when you get there...peace of mind, that is

Determination is the single most important key to you being in control of determining your own destiny.

Outside The Box

Gary Greenfield — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 15:13:00 GMT

Here's the point. If you want to feel true joy and exhilaration in your life you must do as the title of this post says.

However, in this instance when I refer to the box, I'm referencing you and your self-interests. You can't have all you can have when you only want for you. An internal focus is the least likely way to feel the ultimate fulfillment of joy in your life. It just can't be done that way.

You want proof? Well...when were those moments in your life where you felt the greatest, uninhibited, totally fulfilling joy and exhilaration? My bet is it was moments when you impacted somebody in a totally unselfish way. Sure you can feel joy when you achieve something you've always wanted but that's a very temporary feeling. Those feelings don't truly stay with you through a lifetime. But, those joyful moments born of your unselfish act are watershed events that live with you always. Why? Because those who received the benefits of your unselfish act will remind you forever.

You've got to get outside your little box to experience a lifetime of joy and exhilaration!

"Groovy"

Gary Greenfield — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:41:00 GMT

Now, there's a blast from the past. Most of you reading this post may have a hard time remembering a time when that word was very much a part of the current vernacular. Let's put a time line on it. Try the 50's or 60's and maybe into the very early 70's. Those weren't heady times. They were groovy times. Anything that was good was groovy. The cars were groovy. The music was groovy. The clothes were Mod and groovy. Well, it was just groovy.

Okay...so, what's the point. Well in those days there was another use of the word groove. It was the channel in the vinyl recordings of the time in which the needle on record players tracked and played the music. As an aside, some say even today that form of recording has a richness to it that can't be captured in today's digital world. Frankly, I just finished converting all my old vinyl records over to digital and can't tell the difference. But, then I'm not an aficionado. I'm just a lover of music. But, back to the point.

When playing a vinyl recording, if you didn't like the track you were on, you would simply move the needle over a few grooves and change the tune. By the way, it was preferable to pick up the needle and move it because scraping it over the grooves could ruin the record for future listening. Anyway, if you didn't like the track you were on, you just switched grooves.

How about in your life? If you don't like the groove you're currently in just switch grooves. You probably will feel more in the groove and, therefore, hear better music because you will have improved your life. You have as much control over that change as you would in switching grooves on old vinyl recordings. Isn't that groovy?

So, Here We Are...

Gary Greenfield — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:45:00 GMT

...in the middle of another Holiday Season! I'm wondering how things have changed for you since the last season. Have they gotten better or worse? Have you acted on the things you said you were going to do differently in the future? Do you look back on the last year with a sense of accomplishment or disappointment?

Well, your answers can be quite telling but they are not the final answer. The final answer only comes when you stop trying to answer the questions to your satisfaction. Never quit and you will ultimately get it...regardless of what "it" is!

It is not about your actions in the past, if you let them serve as a launching pad for your future. The future is always bright when you let your past serve as the light to a new dawn...to a new you and a greater you.

I've used this anonymous quote somewhere deep down in my earlier posts but it is particularly apropos here. "The past is valuable as a guidepost but dangerous if used as a hitching post."

Get it! Don't dwell on the past! Use it as a guide to an even brighter future!

Do What You Want

Gary Greenfield — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:24:00 GMT

What a novel idea! Just go about your daily life doing what you want when you want. But it doesn't work that way for you! Me either! I'm still trying to perfect my approach.

On the surface, the idea has a wonderful sense to it, though. So, why not figure out a way to be able to live your life with that sense? It would seem to be possible because others appear to do it.

Take the late, great Barbara Jordan for instance. Here's what she has to say on the subject. "All my growth and development led me to believe that if you really do the right thing, and if you play by the rules, and you've got good enough solid judgment and common sense, that you're going to be able to do whatever you want to do with your life." From my view, Barbara Jordan seemed to live the sentiment expressed in that statement in a very large way.

So to summarize, if you want to do what you want, you have to:

Exercise good judgment and common sense in everything that you do
You can't cheat...ever!
In all things, you must focus on what is the right thing
Finally, act on everything related to the above three items in a lifelong effort

Don't Be Everybody

Gary Greenfield — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:52:00 GMT

In news program after program on television, currently, there is frequent reference to the subject of bullying. It's seems to be a pervasive and very disturbing occurrence. What I find amazing is bullying isn't just an issue in schools! It happens in the work place...with adults, no less!!!

What's it all about? My thought is too much of it is driven by the differences in people. People who don't disappear into the melting pot of sameness get picked on. What a shame! If it weren't for differences, the world as we know it wouldn't exist. We would be back in some primordial soup struggling for uniqueness.

The bully is a person who wants everybody to be nobody. The bully thinks if you are you and not like everybody he or she is a nobody. The bully wants the power of controlling everybody to make herself or himself a somebody.

Here's the justice, however. As time passes, the bully is inevitably left behind by somebody. Somebody who understands that they don't want to be like everybody. Somebody who understands they are somebody because of their uniqueness...because of the potential of making their singular contribution to the greater good of the world.

Don't be everybody...be somebody!

Change Is Good

Gary Greenfield — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:29:00 GMT

Now, there's a novel idea! Making change something that is acceptable and actually good. Who wants it? Who needs it? Why bother? Answer: You do because without change no new good has a chance of happening to you.

Let's say you're in a stage in your life that is so good you just want to put everything on hold. Keep it just as it is for the rest of your life. That would be so wonderful you think!

Okay. Let's take a look at that attitude for a minute. While I can understand your feelings, the reality is what is so good for you now will be so bad when the rest of the world passes you by. The definition of what is good today will inevitably be bad tomorrow when something better comes along. And, it will!

Do you truly want to be stuck in today when the change of tomorrow rocks your world?

Two quotes to finalize my point:

Oliver Wendel Holmes said: "Even if you're on the right track you will get run over if you just sit there."
Harold Wilson said: "He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery."

I would add that even in a cemetery we add fresh flowers once in awhile. Change is good!

If You Had It All

Gary Greenfield — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:56:00 GMT

Sounds like a wonderful idea when you first think about it. Having it all sounds so full of peace of mind and a general state of well-being. I question that, however.

Let's take a look at what you might miss if you had it all. Consider the fact that with having it all you may forget the joy of the ride to get there. In other words, your life isn't about the destination of having it all. It is about the wonderful experiences of the journey while getting there.

Consider some questions to make my point:

Would you value good quality food as much, if you didn't from time to time experience a bad meal?

How about your good health? Without getting sick once in a while, you wouldn't know how good it truly feels to be in good health.

Then, there's the situation of the current economic times. All of us can look back on the good times and look forward to the next upturn with appreciation because we are in such economic pain right now.

If there weren't up and down cycles in every aspect of life, it would be flat. Does flat really sound that exciting to you?

How interesting would it be if you never had any challenges in your life? Where would you find true meaning to your struggle without having met life's challenges head on and overcome them?

If you had it all, how would you know, if you hadn't gone through the experience of having something less?

Is It Right?

Gary Greenfield — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 16:44:00 GMT

Simple question but I'm stunned by the amount of situations in the world currently that would suggest the question was never asked? Or, at least, the answer, if no, was ignored and wrong happened. What a shame when things could be so simple.

Compromise suggests that a middle ground has been reached in some conflict. There's nothing wrong with compromise in certain well chosen situations. Frankly, I wish our politicians could regain a statesman like attitude of compromise. But, compromise when answering the question of is it right is never right. Posing that question dictates no gray areas and therefore no compromise. Simple!

You know the feeling. You've asked yourself the question about some circumstance requiring you to make a right or wrong decision. It's that feeling of queasiness...that feeling some would call your conscience saying, NO! However, you complicate the decision by trying to rationalize all sides of the issue so you can force a wrong decision into being right in your mind. Wrong...it's simple!

You can't negotiate wrong into right. It's black and white. Simple!

Make A Miracle

Gary Greenfield — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:17:00 GMT

Don't you just love the images that the word miracle conjures in your mind. Thoughts about a miracle happening can take any of us to so many places that flash a sense of hope and well-being. Those places can be spiritual, intellectual, financial or a myriad of other miraculously hopeful feelings.

Think about how you feel when confronted with your own experiences of miracles happening. How did you feel when witnessing the birth of a child? How about the miracle of actually reaching a particular goal that you honestly didn't think would ever happen...what were your feelings then? Another example...what was it like when you experienced the miracle of survival from a life or death situation?

My guess is your answer to any of those questions brought a warm flush of glow throughout your entire body. A miracle in itself, I might add.

So why don't you decide today to make a miracle happen each day of your life? Something Leonard Nimoy said tells us how. "The miracle is this--the more we share, the more we have."

Share the miracle of your uniqueness and you make more for everyone else.

Slip Sliddin' Away

Gary Greenfield — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:48:00 GMT

Yeah...I know there's an old song with that title that was written by Paul Simon. The lyrics to that song are very germane to our day to day thinking and more importantly our actions.

Paul Simon writes: "You know the nearer your destination the more you're slip sliddin' away." Well, I'm not talking about your destination necessarily although the point is the same. As implied in the lyrics of Simon's song, when we let things happen without exercising some personal control those things can just slip away.

And, so it is with the time you have to become all you can be. I'll make my point with my own additional lyrics to Paul Simon's thoughtful song.

        Time only knows how much time you've got
        So, why lay in bed and let your life rot
        Grab on to your seconds of opportunity
        Don't let your life just slip into eternity
        Take each day as it comes and make it happen
        Don't just sit there with your toe a tappin'
        Create your plan that will let you have your say
        Otherwise you will feel your time just slip sliddin' away

Little To Big

Gary Greenfield — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:31:00 GMT

My guess is you are like many people. You want to do big things in your life. I don't necessarily mean big in the sense of you doing things that impact the entire world. That would be okay, of course. But, I'm talking more about big as you define it. In other words, it could be something with worldwide impact or it could be something that impacts only your immediate sphere of influence. It's your definition.

Whatever big is to you, if you're going to make it happen, it won't just happen. You have to do all the things necessary to make your big things your reality. Bottom-line is big things don't usually happen because of one big effort or event. Big things happen because you did all the little things required.

There's where most people fail. They don't want to be bothered with the little things. They just want big to be and, preferably, now! Big never comes now, if the little things haven't been done back then.

Figure out what are the big things you want to achieve in your life. Determine all the little things that have to be done to get there. Fix a time when you want to get there. Plan your order of attack...then attack!

Do all of it...little to big.

What's It Worth?

Gary Greenfield — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:15:00 GMT

Given the recent events in sports, national politics as well as international politics, I thought it was worth getting us all to think about our answer to the above question. Especially, when the reality is in this life, once it's gone it "ain't" comin' back!

I mean...think about it. Most things in life can be lost and subsequently found. Examples. You lose a personal article of some sort and find it days later under the seat of the car. You lose your way to a new friends house but finally figure out the route and successfully arrive. You lose fifty pounds only to find six months later you've gained them all back. You lose contact with school friends and find them on Facebook decades later. You lose $500 dollars at the crap table and...well, some things "ain't" comin' back and gambling loses are probably a prime example!

Another prime example of something once lost that "ain't" comin' back is your credibility. You either have it or you don't. There is no middle ground. It's impossible to have only some credibility. Why? Well, just one definition of the word is: "able to be believed." Where's the middle ground in that definition? Can you really believe somebody in some things and maybe not in other things? If you can't believe them in some things, are you really sure you can believe them in other things? Are you really sure?

No, once you've lost your credibility it is gone forever. There will always be lingering doubt by someone. So, it's gone, folks!!

In that context, what's it worth to you to have untainted, unquestionable, unequivocal credibility? I suggest it's absolutely worth never putting yourself in a position to where you will have to wonder. That's priceless!

Venture Capital

Gary Greenfield — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:18:00 GMT

Life is an investment. An investment in time; spiritual, intellectual and physical growth; people, places and things; and most of all, a total experience.

In business the key to growth is what they call venture capital. Someone makes a capital investment in a venture they deem to be worthy of the risk. Question: Are you willing to put forth your own venture capital on the risk of creating a life of fulfillment? If you aren't, no one else will either.

So, what is the venture capital you need to invest in creating a fulfilling life. That capital must come from four sources.

First, is an unequivocal belief in yourself. If you don't believe, there is no venture. You have nothing in which to invest capital.

Once you believe you must exercise the will to continue investing capital in your venture over time. Fulfillment doesn't come in a moment.

But, if you are driven to believe and have the will to succeed, you must constantly invest in growing your knowledge base. The ultimate capital of success is knowledge applied with determination and verve.

Finally, you have to constantly hone your skills. It's one thing to believe and to know but if you don't know how the venture goes bust.

Do the above four things and you will have unlimited venture capital generating a life of soaring value!

If but not for...

Gary Greenfield — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:25:00 GMT

Your life would be so much better if but not for...

        Thinking you would rather roll-over than roll-out to avoid becoming exercise stout.
        Believing life owes you rather than you buy it through being willing to try it.
        Loving the couch more than exercise...ouch!!
        Spending time on a tanning bed rather than outdoors getting red.
        Staying cooped-up in the dark rather than hiking and listening for the sounds of a lark.
        Watching all kinds of television junk rather than getting adequate sleep in your bunk.
        Not breaking a sweat and forcing more air into your two lung set!
        Eating like a horse rather than a balanced diet, of course!
        Playing a video game a ton while not getting enough sun.
        Eating more bacon rather than making sure your vegetables are taken.
       Being up all night rather than six to eight hours of sleeping tight.

Adequate sleep...exercise...balanced diet...fresh air...sun...I could keep going on and on if but not for the fact that I've made my point.

Two Different, Same Worlds

Gary Greenfield — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:02:00 GMT

Sounds like a direct conflict to me. How can two different worlds be the same? Well, for some perspective on that question read on!

Let's face it, there are people living right in your neighborhood who have a different attitude about their world versus how you think about yours. They might even live next door. How in the world could their world be perceived as so different from yours?

It's simple...it's attitude in very large measure. Your world is a hell or a heaven based on your attitude. Change your attitude and you change your world. As someone much smarter than me once said: "Your altitude is only limited by your attitude." Last time I read anything on the subject, hell would seem to be at a much lower altitude than heaven!

Which is it going to be for you? One person's hell can be another person's heaven. And, that is true primarily because of the difference in attitude between the two people.

Fix your attitude and your same world becomes something different than what it was.

A Simple Lesson

Gary Greenfield — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:34:00 GMT

"I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience and compassion. These three are your greatest treasures." Lao Tzu

Think about it! If your life were much simpler, wouldn't it be less stressful and therefore, so much better. Simplicity doesn't imply a lack of a sense of abundance. Simplicity is becoming all you can be without creating more than you are able to handle.

Patience is an interesting concept given our fast-paced world. Who can be patient in the face of someone cutting in front of us on the street? Or, how can we be patient with the current ineptitude of politicians around the world? Being patient doesn't mean being weak or accepting of the status quo, however. Patience is a state of mind that allows you to get what you want on a timely basis without an expense to others.

Lastly, compassion can be defined as sympathetic concern for the sufferings of others. If you can't appreciate what others are going through without being judgmental, you have lost one treasure of your humanity. You have become less of what your fellow man needs you to be.

So, live with compassion and patience and you will experience greater simplicity in your life...a life of great treasures.

Be Regrateful

Gary Greenfield — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:03:00 GMT

I know! There's no such word as "regrateful." At least, I couldn't find it in any dictionary. Oh, but there is the word, regretful. Could it be I'm playing with a play on words or, maybe in this case, syllables of words? No matter...let's just say I've coined a new word and go from there.

What I hope you will gain by thinking about and acting on what you read here is a realization of the importance of putting more focus on what you have rather than what you haven't. We can get so caught up in our desires for more that we don't appreciate what we have which can seem so much less. However, that's only if we don't appreciate more when we have less.

Re-energize yourself to focus more on what you have. Realize how lucky your are. Refocus on the benefits of what you have. Rethink your obsession with more. Re-examine your motives for wanting more. Renew your appreciation for it all. Return to a mentality of being grateful for what you have.

In short, vow to be "regrateful" for all your good fortune and not regretful of what might have been.

It's All About Be

Gary Greenfield — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:48:00 GMT

If you want, you have to be. Here's my point:

        If you want success, be.

        If you want great wealth, be.

        If you want spiritual fulfillment, be.

        If you want a family, be.

        If you want your business to grow, be.

        If you want a college degree, be.

        If you want a new home, be.

        If you want to travel, be.

        If you want peace of mind, be.

        If you want to get a job, be.

        If you want a promotion, be.

        If you want to be at the top of your game, be.

        If you want anything, be!

In short, be all the things you need to be to be what you want.

An Art By Necessity

Gary Greenfield — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 20:02:00 GMT

So, you think you're not artistic. I disagree! Every person on the plant can be artful in some way. It's just a matter of finding a passion that leads you to the dedication to do something well. Whatever that something is has some kind of art to it.

Let's say the only thing you have a passion for is eating. I can relate to that. It's a necessity in all of our lives. On the other hand, in order to keep your passion for eating from killing you through overeating, etc., you have to make an art of it. You have to artfully channel your passion into creating food that is beautiful yet nutritious. Tall order...but certainly an art by necessity.

Okay...eating is not your passion. Let's say becoming financially independent is. Frankly, some form of financial independence is a necessity in all of our lives. However, if your passion for creating wealth drives you to the point of stress induced, poor health, you have not been artful about your pursuit. There's an art in finding balance between the pursuit of one's life goals and enjoying the journey. Achieving that balance is an art by necessity.

I could go on and on. Suffice it to say, it's a necessity that your create a work of art from all that you do.

Negative Consequences

Gary Greenfield — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:36:00 GMT

Who needs 'em! Who wants 'em! Negative consequences, that is. Hey, we have enough of a challenge in our lives without adding to the burden by creating negative consequences.

So...don't! Simple...huh? Not so fast! If it were so simple, then why do so many people live their lives with a series of negative consequences being the result?

Well, the truth about consequences is in how you think. If you fear certain consequences, inevitably you will get a negative result. Either you won't do whatever it was that you feared or the concern you had about getting a negative result, if you did do what you feared, results in just that...negative consequences.

On the other hand, if you don't worry about a negative outcome, but presume (think) the outcome will be positive it inevitably will be. It's just a fact of life. If you think positively and don't even consider the consequences of a negative outcome, all will usually be well.

Of course, all of this presumes whatever it is you are wanting to do is legal, moral and ethical. If not, you can always expect negative consequences down the road no matter how positively you think.

Final point...If you fear before you do, it will create negative consequences after you're done.

Life Changing Event

Gary Greenfield — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 20:33:00 GMT

Here I go again...presuming you need to change some aspect of your life for the better. Well, I don't mean to presume but, if the shoe fits, as they say...

Your life doesn't get better as the result of inaction. A better life only comes through a can do attitude. You have to create the change that is needed to make things better. If you wait for "better" to come to you, "worse" will arrive instead. I'm guessing you don't want a life changing event that makes things worse for you. To sum up the point, here, better comes from your actions and worse comes from your inaction.

Don't think big, by the way. You don't have to make big changes all at once. Rather, think step-by-step and day-by-day. On the other hand, you do have to do something differently, if you are going to get different results.

If you truly want to create a life changing event, you have to change a daily habit that is impacting you negatively. In other words, you change your life by changing something you do each day during your life.

A big, life changing event is the result of a series little habitual changes. That's life!

I Believe

Gary Greenfield — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:47:00 GMT

What do you believe? Whatever you believe is the source for all that you are and can become.

Now, think about that before you blow this whole thing off. To help, let me wrap another way of making the point around this gift of perspective. Your are what you believe. You become what you believe.

If you believe long enough and strong enough, your belief becomes your reality. Positive beliefs get positive outcomes. Negative beliefs get negative outcomes. If you believe you want to change your circumstances in life in some way, then believe that you can and you will. Believe that you can't and you won't.

Is that so hard to understand? The problem is too many people don't believe it. They think their situation is out of their control because they were dealt a lousy hand in life. Don't you believe it! There's an old saying: "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." That is as true in a card game as it is in the game of life.

I believe it whether you believe it or not!

The Genesis

Gary Greenfield — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:56:00 GMT

Okay! So you want to get there from here but you don't know how. Well, let's take a look at the process to make progress in anything that you want to do in life.

Certainly, it's important to have a plan. I mean you can't go where you want to go until you have some idea on how to get there. The plan has to be a detailed road map showing each milepost (action step) along the route to your destination.

Given the detailed plan, you have to then act on each aspect of that plan. Furthermore you need to adjust your plan as you encounter the realities of changing circumstances. The point is the plan is useless unless you take actions to make it a reality.

Now, all of that said there is something that comes before all of it. The genesis is your initial thought of what it is you want. It's your imagination conjuring up a picture of a desired result. It's your imagination that drives your focus toward creating the plan, action steps and actions.

The genesis of your self-actualization is your imagination.

Enjoy!

Gary Greenfield — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:53:00 GMT

So, here you are wallowing in the misery of what you consider your miserable existence. Really? Can it be that bad? Could you change the situation, if you wanted to? Fact: Your miserable existence is not going to change by someone waving a magic wand over you. I know...maybe Harry Potter could but I don't think so!

Ask yourself the question: Why do you have what you have? The have can be in terms of material things, spiritual feelings or your mental frame of mind. Interesting...the material and the spiritual are directly effected my your mental frame of mind, i.e., the way you think. As you think so shall you have and feel!

So, what should you do to overcome your miserable existence. Here's a bit of classical Greek philosophy that may help. "Not what we have but what we enjoy constitutes our abundance." Epicurus

In other words, don't allow your thoughts to focus only on what you have but focus on what you enjoy and you will reap greater abundance in all aspects of your life.

Adjustments

Gary Greenfield — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:23:00 GMT

Interesting word, adjustments. There are two definitions of the word that are applicable here. One is "a minor change." The other definition is "the action of adjusting." My objective is to adjust your thinking about the importance of making adjustments in your life. Your ability to take the action of adjusting to minor change in your life is the engine that will drive your degree of success.

Now, I know. We all do it. We get into a routine; a comfort zone; a pattern of doing things that fits like an old shoe. The problem is the resulting complacency can very definitely limit one's potential. We don't stretch but curl up in comfort. Life is supposed to be a series of discomforts that drive us to do the things necessary to keep reaching!

You have to make adjustments! Your surroundings or circumstances will inevitably change. If you don't make internal adjustments that are congruent with your external circumstances, it is impossible to be truly healthy and happy.

Time Will Tell

Gary Greenfield — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 14:58:00 GMT

Yes, you have all the time in the world, if you waste it!

Here's the question. Even if your sense is you have all the time in the world and as a result you waste it, do you really have any time at all? In other words, how can you have any time, if you're not conscious of your time?

There's a serious problem here! The truth is time is truly and absolutely fleeting. A particular moment in time whether used wisely or wasted never returns. It's potential is gone forever! Time isn't valuable! It's priceless! It's the one thing you can use to your advantage that is truly free.

Let's face it. Time is going to happen. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock...never stopping...always moving. Given that inevitability, the best thing you can do with each moment of your time is to use it wisely. Time will tell, if you have made the right choices.

The harshest judge is time wasted. It convicts you to a life sentence of disappointments and an eternity of lost opportunities.

Let It Be

Gary Greenfield — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:30:00 GMT

Yes, I'm a Beatles fan but their wonderful music is not what this post is about. It's about your sense of yourself and your relationship with life.

It seems to me too many people are overly tense about living their lives. There's little flow to their life and a lot of force...meaning, trying to force things to happen rather than letting the rhythm of their lives bring things to them. This is not to say that you shouldn't be pro-active about the course your life takes. Of course, you have to have a plan and take action on that plan. That said, though, there's a big difference between a plan that allows for life's rhythm and a forced effort at living.

So, what are you to do in trying to achieve great things in your life and still recognize that life has a rhythm to it? An "all good things in good time" aspect to it that is undeniable. Here's some sage advice from a thoughtful person, Jerry Brown, that may help you.

"Life simply is. It follows its course. Give yourself to the moment. Let life reveal itself to you."

In short, let it be.